johngardner.rollofhonor-第28部分

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esitant。
　〃We've　kept　it　in　the　family；　James　…　by　which　I　mean　that　we've　not　let　it　go　beyond　Dazzle　and　myself。　　My　partners；　Rahani　and　Zwingli；　could　bee　alarmed；　might　even　pass　it　on　to　the　representatives　of　SPECTRE。　I　don't　think　we'd　want　that；　not　a　domestic　thing。　　None　of　their　business。〃　So；　thought　Bond；　as　serious　a　matter　as　stealing　even　a　dummy　back…up　program　of　the　Balloon　Game　on　which；　he　presumed；　the　whole　operation　for　SPECTRE　was　based　could　be　overlooked　and　kept　〃in　the　family'。
　It　was　an　interesting　turn　of　events。　　What　it　did　show　was　that　Jay　Autem　Holy　lived　in　terror　of　SPECTRE；　and　that　was　a　piece　of　deduction　which　may　well　be　put　to　valuable　use　later。
　〃Cindy？〃　Bond　mused。　　〃What。　　？〃
　〃Will　happen　to　her？　　She　is　regarded　as　one　of　my　family。　　She　will　be　disciplined；　like　a　child；　and　kept　under　lock　and　key。　　Dazzle　is　seeing　to　it。〃
　〃I　haven't　set　eyes　on　your　wife　recently。
　〃No；　she　prefers　to　remain　in　the　background；　but　she　has　certain　tasks　to　perform；　tasks　necessary　to　success。
　What　I　really　wish　to　ask　of　you；　James；　is　that　we　keep　this　business　about　Miss　Chalmer　to　ourselves。　　Keep　it　as　a　personal　matter。　　I　mean；　we　don't　mention　it　to　anybody。　　Personal；　between　us；　eh？〃
　〃It's　personal　enough　already。〃　Bond　clamped　his　mouth　shut。　　What　else　was　there　to　say？
　Tigerbalm　came　for　him　shortly　after　six　o'clock。　　They　had　not　locked　him　in；　though　food　was　served　on　a　tray；　brought　up　by　a　young　Arab。　Tigerbalm　was　very　polite。
　They　went　to　the　same　room　as　before；　with　its　bolted…down　table　and　chairs。　　The　only　difference　this　time　was　that　a　tape　recorder；　with　a　separate　set　of　earphones；　had　been　hooked　up　to　the　telephone。
　〃It's　time；　then。〃　Holy　was　not　alone。　　Tamil　Rahani　stood　beside　him；　while　the　large；　craggy　face　of　General　Zwingli　peered　out　from　behind　them。
　〃I　can't　promise　this　part　will　work。〃　Bond's　voice　was　flat　and　calm。　So　calm　that　it　appeared　to　activate　something　deep　within　General　Zwingli；　who　pushed　his　way　through　his　partners；　sticking　out　a　leathery　hand。
　〃We　haven't　met；　mander　Bond。〃　The　voice　had　a　slightly　Texan　tang　to　it。　　〃My　name's　Joe　Zwingli；　and　I　just　want　to　wish　you　luck；　son。　　Get　in　there　and　make　it　happen　for　us。　　It's　in　a　great　cause　…　to　put　your　country　and　mine　back　on　their　feet；　give　them　some　new　order　in　the　midst　of　their　present　chaos。〃　Bond　did　not　want　to　disillusion　the　man。　But　a　scheme　of　SPECTRE'S　that　was　not　for　their　good　alone；　he　reckoned；　would　never　see　the　light　of　day。
　He　played　it　to　the　hilt。　　〃I'll　do　what　I　can；　sir。〃　Then　he　sat　down　and　waited　for　Holy　to　set　the　tape　monitor；　put　on　the　headphones　and　indicate　they　were　ready。
　He　picked　up　the　handset　and　punched　out　the　digits　to　access　the　small　plex　where　the　S。I。S。　　Duty　Security　Officer　to　the　Foreign　Office　spent　his　twelve　hour　watches；　together　with　specialist　teleprinter；　cipher；　radio　and　puter　operators。　　Two　shifts　a　day；　twelve　hours　apiece。
　The　number　which　Bond　had　in　fact　punched　was　a　screened　telephone　number　known　only　to　the　field　officers　of　his　Service。　　It　was　also　manned　day　and　night；　and　paraded　many　identities；　depending　upon　what　operations　were　being　run。　　That　night　it　was　a　Chinese　Laundry　based　in　Soho；　a　radio　cab　firm；　a　French　restaurant；　and　…　if　the　need　arose　…　the　Foreign　Office　Duty　Security　Officer's　direct　line。　　For　that　purpose　it　had　been　alerted　for　special　action　ever　since　Bond's　radiophone　call　from　the　Bentley　on　the　previous　evening。　　If　the　call　came；　it　would　be　passed　to　one　person　only。　　The　telephone　rang　four　times　before　anyone　picked　it　up。　　〃Hallo？〃　The　voice　was　flat；　disguised　for　safety。
　〃Tony　Denton　…　the　D。O。　　please。
　〃Who　wants　him？〃
　〃Predator。〃
　〃Hang　on　please。
　Bond　saw　Holy　give　a　wry　smile；　for　when　outlining　his　plan；　he　had　refused　to　give　the　cryptonym　he　had　used　as　a　member　of　the　Service。　Apparently　Jay　Autem　Holy　thought　this　one　very　apt。
　They　waited　while　the　call　was　being　switched　through　to　Bill　Tanner；　and　it　was　his　old　friend　Tanner's　voice　which　next　came　on　to　the　line。
　〃Denton。　　I　thought　you　were　out；　Predator。　　This　is　an　irregular　call。　I'm　afraid　I　have　to　terminate。〃
　〃Tony！　　Wait！〃　Bond　hunched　over　the　table。　　〃This　is　priority。　　Yes；　I'm　out　…　as　far　as　anyone　can　be　out　…　but　I　have　something　vital　to　the　Service。　　But　really　vital。〃
　〃Go　on。〃　The　voice　at　the　other　end　sounded　doubtful。
　〃Not　on　the　telephone。　　Not　safe。　　You're　the　only　person　I　could　think　of。　　I　must　see　you。　　I　have　to　see　you。
　Imperative；　Tony。　　Consul。〃　Bond　used　the　standard　cipher　word　for　extreme　emergency。　　At　the　far　end　there　was　a　fractional　pause。
　〃When？〃
　〃Tonight。　　Before　midnight。　　I　can　get　to　you；　I　think。
　Please；　Tony；　give　me　the　all　clear。〃　Again　there　was　a　long　pause。　　〃If　this　isn't　straight　I'll　see　you　in　West　End　Central　by　morning；　charged　under　the　Official　Secrets　Act。　　As　quickly　as　you　can。　　I'll　clear　you。　Right？〃
　〃Be　with　you　before　midnight。
　Bond　sounded　relieved；　but　the　line　was　closed　long　before　he　took　the　handset　from　his　ear。
　〃First　hurdle。〃　Holy　jabbed　down　on　the　recorder's　stop　button。
　〃Now；　you　have　to　be　convincing　when　you　get　there。〃
　〃So　far；　it's　playing　to　packed　houses。〃　Tamil　Rahani　sounded　pleased。　〃The　dispatch　rider　brings　the　frequency　up　from　Cheltenham　at　around　eleven　forty…five？〃
　〃If　the　U。S。　　President　is　away　from　his　own　country；　yes。
　Bond　held　the　man's　eyes；　trying　to　discern　his　state　of　mind。
　Rahani　laughed。　　〃Oh；　he's　out　of　the　country。　　No　doubt　about　that；　mander　Bond。　　No　doubt　at　all。〃
　〃If　you　leave　here　at　nine　forty…five　you　should　make　it　with　time　to　spare。〃　Holy　removed　his　headset。　　〃We'll　be　with　you　all　the　way；　James。　　All　the　way。〃
　
　DOWN　ESCALATOR
　
　THE　METAL　FORESTS　of　antennae　which　rise　above　the　massive　pile　of　government　buildings　running　from　Downing　Street　along　Whitehall　and　Parliament　Street；　conjure　up　thoughts　of　munications　flying　through　the　night；　of　telephones　waking　ministers；　calling　them　to　deal　with　some　important　crisis；　or　the　fabled　telegrams　crossing　the　airwaves　from　distant　embassies。
　In　fact；　only　open　messages　run　into　those　government　offices。
　Sensitive　signals　and　urgent　messages　are　usually　routed　through　the　G。C。H。Q。　　plex　outside　Cheltenham；　or　one　of　its　many　satellites。
　From　Cheltenham　they　are　passed　to　the　mysterious　building　known　as　Century　House；　or　to　the　Regent's　Park　Headquarters。
　Ciphers　for　the　Foreign　Office　go　only　then；　not　to　Whitehall　and　Parliament　Street；　but　to　an　unimposing；　narrow；　four…storey　house　off　Northumberland　Avenue。
　They　are　sent　by　a　variety　of　methods　ranging　from　the　humble　dispatch　rider　to　teleprinter　by　land…line；　or　even　through　a　closed　telephone　circuit；　often　linked　to　a　puter　modem　programmed　for　deciphering。
　If　the　romantically　minded　were　to　imagine　that　someone　with　the　title　of　Duty　Security　Officer；　Foreign　Office；　prowls　the　great　corridors　of　power　with　flashlight　and　uniformed　acplices；　they　would　be　wrong。　The　D。S。O。F。O。　　does　not　prowl。　　He　sits　in　the　house　off　Northumberland　Avenue；　and　his　job　is　to　ensure　that　all　ciphers　for　Foreign　Office　remain　secure　and　get　to　the　right　person。　　He　also　deals　with　a　whole　mass　of　restricted　information　concerning　munications　from　abroad；　both　from　British　sources；　and　from　those　of　foreign　powers。　　Leaders　of　friendly　foreign　powers；　in　particular；　look　for　assistance　from　the　Foreign　Office。
　They　usually　find　it　with　the　D。S。O。F。O。
　It　was　to　the　little…noticed　turning　off　Northumberland　Avenue　that　James　Bond　was　now　heading　in　the　Mulsanne　Turbo。
　They　had　taken　him　out　to　the　garage　shortly　after　nine…thirty；　made　sure　he　had　money；　credit　cards；　his　ASP；　and　petrol　in　the　tank。
　Holy；　Rahani　and　Zwingli　had；　in　turn；　clasped　his　hand；　Zwingli　muttering；　〃Good　to　have　you　on　the　team；'　and　promptly　at　nine　forty…five　the　Bentley　had　eased　its　bulk　on　to　the　gravel　turning　circle；　flashed　its　lights　once；　and　swept　on　its　stately　way；　up　the　drive　and　on　to　the　road　to　Banbury。
　From　Banbury；　Bond　followed　the　route　they　had　ordered　him　to　take　…　straight　to　the　M4　motorway；　and　so　into　London。
　He　did　not　spot　any　shadows；　but　had　no　doubt　that　they　would　be　there。　It　did　not　worry　him。　　The　street　where　he　would　finally　stop　would　be　cleared　of　all　but　authorised　vehicles　so　there　was　little　chance　of　him　being　observed　once　the　car　had　been　parked。
　Risking　the　wrath　of　police　patrols；　Bond　made　the　journey　at　high　speed。　　From　numerous　telltale　signs　and　bumps　he　was　certain　Peter　Amadeus　had　managed　to　let　himself　into　the　boot。　　The　little　programmer　would　by　now；　be　suffering　considerable　disfort。　　Bond　stopped　once；　at　the　service　station　near　Heathrow　Airport；　to　fill　the　tank。　　There　he　was　able　to　let　a　little　air　into　the　boot　and　to　satisfy　himself　that　Amadeus　was　indeed　alive　and　well。　　In　a　whisper；　he　explained　that　release　just　then　was　impossible；　but　it　would　not　be　long　now。
　Less　than　forty　minutes　later；　Amadeus　was　freed；　speechless　and　stiff　from　the　cramped　ride；　but　all　the　same　duly　grateful。
　〃Well；　this　is　where　you　show　your　gratitude。〃　Bond　took　his　arm　firmly；　leading　him　towards　the　lighted　doorway　of　the　terraced　house。
　Swing　doors　opened　on　to　a　marble…tiled　hallway　with　a　lift　which　took　them　to　the　second　floor　and　a　minuscule　landing；　watched　over　by　a　muscular　government　messenger；　who　half　rose　from　his　desk　to　ask　what　they　required。
　〃Predator；'　Bond　snapped　at　him。　　〃Tell　them；　Predator　and　friend。〃　He　did　not　smile。
　Less　than　a　minute　later；　they　were　led　quickly　through　a　passage　and　into　a　larger　room。　　The　red　velvet　curtains　were　drawn。　　A　portrait　of　the　Queen　hung　over　the　Adam　fireplace　and　another　of　Winston　Churchill　adorned　the　opposite　wall。　　A　long　gleaming　boardroom　table　occupied　a　large　portion　of　the　available　space。
　Six　faces　turned　as　one。　　M　was　at　the　head　with　Bill　Tanner　on　his　right　and　another　officer　Bond　recognised　to　the　left。　　Major　Boothroyd；　the　Armourer；　Head　of　Q　Section；　sat　to　Tanner's　right　with　Lady　Freddie　Fortune　next　to　him。
　Bond　di